Amniocentesis

What Affects the Test

Reasons you may not be able to have the test or why the results may not be helpful include:

• If there is blood from your fetus in the amniotic fluid. This can falsely increase the level of the substances alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) levels, which test for neural tube defects.
• If the amniotic fluid is exposed to light. This can falsely lower bilirubin levels.
• If there is blood or meconium in the fluid. This may cause an incorrect result for the test that checks to see whether your baby’s (fetus’s) lungs are mature.

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Author:	Sandy Jocoy, RN	Last Updated: May 14, 2008
Medical Review:	Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine Siobhan M. Dolan, MD, MPH - Reproductive Genetics
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